APPENDIX. 167 



• 

 nets just as it was dark. All the rest of the fishing boats went out southwest from the Wood End 

 to pick up those scattering mackerel, except one that chased me. When we drew our nets in the 

 morning I think we had 2,050 mackerel, when we returned home. The other boat, the one that 

 chased me, got 3,000. "^e then put them on a schooner and sent them to Boston and paid one- 

 quarter for carrying. C f the boats that went off the Wood End the high boat got 140. My brother 

 thought it was strange that he didn't get more; that he got his best night's work out there the 

 year before, but he didn't remember at what time of the year it was. The following night it was 

 still pleasant, and all the boats went up the bay. One of the vessels was afraid if they didn't 

 haul their nets that night they wouldn't get any fish, so they drew their nets at 9 o'clock, and 

 only got 1,500. When I hauled in in the morning I had 3,500. When I arrived I found that 

 the vessel that took mackerel was all full, and I landed at home and salted them, and E. S. 

 Smith & Co. gave me 2 cents apiece for them, so I got $70. After the mackerel deposit their 

 spawn in the head of the bay they want something to eat, and I thought that where there is the 

 most bait is where the tide running into Cape Cod bay meets with still water. I went there and got 

 a full fare. At the close of the fishing we were high boat. We stocked about $320, which was 

 about $100 more than any other boat. After the fishing season was over, which terminated about 

 the middle of June, I shipped in the schooner Wave Crest, Captain Doane, and went to Monhegan 

 to catch mackerel with nets, and took my boat and nets with me. We fished with gill-nets, drift- 

 ing off the island. The fishermen there took a great fancy to my boat and I sold her for $240, 



• In the spring of 1855 I built a new boat. In the summer I went with that boat to Monhegan 

 for mackerel, returning home the 1st of September. Then I fished from the shore for mackerel 

 until late in the autumn. In the winter I engaged in fishing and making cod-liver oil. 



In the spring of 1856 I built another boat and commenced about the 20th of May to drag 

 mackerel nets, which lasted until about the middle of June. The 1st of July I received an 

 appointment as commissioner to inquire into the expediency and practicability of the artificial prop- 

 .agation of fish. I located at Sandwich to watch the habits of the trout [Salmo fontinalis) during 

 the spawning season. I had two colleagues on the commission with me, Hon. Eeuben A. Chap- 

 man, of Springfield, and Dr. Henry Wheatland, of Salem. In the following winter we made our 

 report, which terminated the commission. In Kovember I was elected a member of the State 

 house of representatives, which took me away from the fishing here. 



When it came January of 1857 I went to the legislature, which was in session one hundred 

 and forty-six days, and did not return home until June. On my return home I took the sloop- 

 smack Federal and engaged in buying lobsters and carrying them to Boston until September, after 

 which I was engaged in the shore fisheries in autumn, and the mackerel fishery. 



The following January, 1858, 1 was returned to the house. After the close of the session I 

 joined the sloop Federal and engaged in the lobster and bluefish trade, sending the fish to Boston 

 until September. In the autumn I engaged in the shore fishery. 



In 1859, in January, I was winter fishing, and in the spring I joined the slooiJ Federal again 

 and engaged in the lobster and bluefish trade again, as the year before. In the fall I engaged in 

 the shore fishery and mackerel net fishery. 



The next spring, 1860, I again joined the Federal and went in her until about the 1st of 

 June, when I went to Plymouth and there I swapped this smack for a better one called the Wave, 

 by paying $400 to boot. I continued in the same business, fishing and buying lobsters and blue- 

 fish when I could get them, and selling them in Boston, until the 1st of September. In autumn 

 I engaged in the mackerel net fishery and later in winter fishing. 



In the spring of 1861 1 took the sloop Wave and commenced fishing for cod and halibut, after 



